ProntoForms (CVE:PFM) shareholders have endured a 53% loss from investing in the stock a year ago

Investing in stocks comes with the risk that the share price will fall. And unfortunately for ProntoForms Corporation (CVE:PFM) shareholders, the stock is a lot lower today than it was a year ago. In that relatively short period, the share price has plunged 53%. Longer term shareholders haven't suffered as badly, since the stock is down a comparatively less painful 1.0% in three years. Furthermore, it's down 39% in about a quarter. That's not much fun for holders.

Now let's have a look at the company's fundamentals, and see if the long term shareholder return has matched the performance of the underlying business.

View our latest analysis for ProntoForms

ProntoForms wasn't profitable in the last twelve months, it is unlikely we'll see a strong correlation between its share price and its earnings per share (EPS). Arguably revenue is our next best option. Shareholders of unprofitable companies usually expect strong revenue growth. That's because fast revenue growth can be easily extrapolated to forecast profits, often of considerable size.

In the last twelve months, ProntoForms increased its revenue by 9.7%. While that may seem decent it isn't great considering the company is still making a loss. Without profits, and with revenue growth sluggish, you get a 53% loss for shareholders, over the year. We'd want to see evidence that future revenue growth will be stronger before getting too interested. Of course, the market can be too impatient at times. Why not take a closer look at this one so you're ready to pounce if growth does accelerate.

The company's revenue and earnings (over time) are depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).

earnings-and-revenue-growth

Balance sheet strength is crucial. It might be well worthwhile taking a look at our free report on how its financial position has changed over time.

A Different Perspective

While the broader market gained around 5.0% in the last year, ProntoForms shareholders lost 53%. Even the share prices of good stocks drop sometimes, but we want to see improvements in the fundamental metrics of a business, before getting too interested. On the bright side, long term shareholders have made money, with a gain of 4% per year over half a decade. It could be that the recent sell-off is an opportunity, so it may be worth checking the fundamental data for signs of a long term growth trend. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Take risks, for example - ProntoForms has 5 warning signs (and 2 which shouldn't be ignored) we think you should know about.

If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on CA exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.